Purdue University North Central Student Government Constitution

Mission Statement
The purpose of the Student Government is to serve as the elected representatives of the student body. This will be accomplished by acting as the liaison between the student body and the administration, faculty, and staff; by attending to the needs of the students; and by promoting, in the interest of the University community, a program of service, social activity, and educational projects.

Constitution

As revised:

April 1995

April 20, 2007

Preamble
We, the students of Purdue University North Central Campus, in the recognition of the responsibility shared by the administration, the faculty, and the student body in the area of student affairs, do hereby constitute the Purdue University North Central Student Government in order to best accomplish the following purposes: to govern ourselves wisely while learning the responsibility to act in accordance with local, state, and national laws, as well as University regulations; to promote high standards of conduct; to represent the student body in the presentation of the student opinion; to carry out activities which maintain the quality of campus life; and to promote and defend the general student welfare.

Article I
Name and Purpose
Section I
The official name of the Purdue University North Central Campus student government shall be the Purdue University North Central Student Government.

Section II
It shall be the duty of the Student Government to strive toward the ends set forth as purposed in the preamble of this constitution.

Article II
Representation and Organization
Section I
The Student Government shall consist of the following representatives: a president, vice-president, treasurer, secretary, and the student representatives.

Section II
Each representative shall be elected for one (1) year and shall be eligible for reelection, unless the representative is in violation of any other portion of the constitution. A student eligible for election to the Student Government must be one who has paid the student service fee at Purdue University North Central and has maintained a cumulative grade point average of at least "2.0" on "4.0" scale or its equivalent. The only exception being that of the first semester freshman that has no grade restrictions.

Section III
A student eligible to vote in campus elections must be a currently enrolled student of Purdue University North Central.

Section IV
The vice-president, treasurer, secretary, and the student representatives have one (1) vote and be considered voting representatives. The presiding officer will vote only in the case of a tie.

Section V
Representation in the Student Government will be determined through election by the student body during the first complete week of April each spring semester. Each candidate for election to the Student Government shall complete and circulate a petition to have his/her name placed on the election ballot in accordance with an election committee created for election purposes by the Student Government and not consisting of any Student Government candidate.

The Student Government representation shall consist of ten (10) students currently enrolled at Purdue University North Central. Student Government representatives shall be elected during the spring semester; these representatives shall be empowered to act as a full governing body according to the Student Government constitution and to elect the officers of the Student Government.

Section VI
Hereafter, should three (3) or more vacancies occur in the ranks of the Student Government during the one (1) year term, a special election may be called by the president with the approval of the majority of the Student Government. If two (2) or less vacancies occur, a special appointment by the Student Government may be made by a majority vote of the Student Government.

The candidates of these special elections and appointments shall be subject to the same rules and regulations as regularly elected Student Government candidates.

Section VII
A Student Government election cannot be held unless the number of candidates on the election ballot exceed the number of representatives to be elected. The winning candidates shall be those receiving the most votes. No election shall be valid unless these conditions are met. The Student Government shall call a new election in such cases when these conditions are violated.

Article III
Student Government Executive Committee (S.G.E.C.)
Definition and Function
Section I
The student Government Executive Committee (S.G.E.C.) shall consist of the elected officers of the Student Government. Each officer shall have one (1) vote.

Section II
It shall be the purpose of the S.G.E.C. to assist the Student Government in the expedition of legislation and to provide general supervision of the affairs of the Government. The S.G.E.C. shall be subject to the orders and the purposes of the Student Government, and none of its acts shall conflict with the action taken by the Student Government.

Section III
The S.G.E.C. will provide an agenda of major topics for consideration by the Student Government for each regular Student Government meeting.

Article IV
Officers and Duties of Office
Section I
The elected officers of the Student Government shall be the president, vice-president, treasurer, and secretary. This group of officers shall be the Student Government Executive Committee (S.G.E.C.). Only one office may be held by a Government representative at one time.

Section II
It shall be the duty of the president to preside at all meetings of the Student Government and the S.G.E.C., to recommend members for all committees (with the advise and consent of a majority vote of the Student Government), to appoint all committee chairpersons whose appointments shall not be otherwise provided for, to represent the Student Government before the faculty and administration of Purdue University North Central Campus (or to appoint as his/her representative any student that he/she deems worthy), to recommend to the Student Government such measures as he/she shall deem necessary and expedient, to represent the student government personally or through his/her appointed representatives in all dealings with agencies and organizations outside the university community with the consent of the Student Government and proper university authorities.

Section III
It shall be the duty of the vice-president to assist the president in the performance of all the aforementioned duties, and assume the duties of the president in the event that the office is vacated, until the Student Government meeting following the vacancy of the office. He/She shall also serve as the ex efficio parliamentarian of the Student Government and the Student Government Executive Committee. Also, he/she will serve as the Student Government liaison to all student organizations.

Section IV
It shall be the duty of the treasurer to furnish the Student Government with a statement of its financial position at the second regular Student Government meeting of each month and to review all invoices presented for payment. The treasurer will be assisted in such duties by the Business Manager (or his/her designee) that are accountable for all fees assessed and collected by the University, including student organizations funds. The Treasurer shall also serve as Treasurer of the S.G.E.C.

Section V
It shall be the duty of the secretary to keep an accurate record of representation and conducted business of all Student Government and S.G.E.C. meetings. The Secretary shall also serves as Secretary of the S.G.E.C.

Section VI
In the event that the presidency and vice-presidency should both be vacant, the descending order of temporary presiding officers of the Student Government (treasurer, secretary) shall follow the order of appearance of the Student Government officers listed in this article.

Article V
Advisors
Section I
The Dean of Students (or his/her designated representative) shall be the administrative advisor to the Student Government.

Section II
The faculty advisor(s) shall be elected by the Student Government within the first four (4) weeks after Student Government Elections. At least one (1) faculty advisor s shall be elected by the Student Government, with at least one of the advisors elected currently serving on the Purdue University North Central Faculty Senate. Advisor(s) are subject to re-election.

Section III
It shall be the duties of the faculty advisors and administrative advisor to attend all meetings of the Student Government and the Student Government Executive Committee, to assist and advise when requested to do so, and to represent the faculty and administration of the University before the Student Government.

Article VI

Empowerment
Section I
The Student Government shall be empowered:

•  To approve the appointment of a committee to supervise all Student Government Association campus elections. To review and revise all actions of the election committee.

2. To have the authority to make recommendations over all matters of policy affecting student welfare.

3. To administer the student service fees/activity within university policy and to allocate appropriations from this fund to the proper campus organizations and agencies to further the educational and social programs of the student body under the rules set forth by the Student Government.

4. To nominate student representatives to all student-faculty boards, councils, and committees. The Student Government reserves the right to review actions of the students
nominated by the Student Government and to remove any of these students from a committee position.

5. To charter and review the charter of all student organizations on the Purdue University
North Central Campus or affiliated therewith and to formulate the policy for the jurisdiction thereof.

6. To create from its own representation and the student body such committees as it may deem necessary to further its functions as a student governing body.

7. To initiate and enact any legislation necessary to implement the foregoing powers or to fulfill the purpose of this constitution as set forth in the preamble.

Article VII
Finances
Section I
Chartered student organizations and Student Government committees have a right to request funds derived from the student services fees. To be eligible to share in these funds, each student organization and Student Government committee must prepare a budget and submit said budget within one (1) month of the new fall semester. Such budgets are to be prepared in such a manner as to give the Student Government a clear picture of their financial needs. These budgets must be acted upon and approved by a majority vote of the Student Government, and the necessary university officials; which will include the Dean of Students and/or the Director of Student Activities. And all the changes regarding the appropriations must be approved by the Student Government.

Section II
Any entity, organization, and/or Student Government committee receiving allocations from the student activity fund must present to the Student Government upon request (by a majority vote of the Student Government) an accounting summary of their expenditures and income. Such accounting summaries must be presented to the Student Government within two (2) weeks of the request. Compliance with such requests for information is necessary for the continuance of allocations from the student activity fund.

Section III
After the final budget session, the Student Government make public a current total (student service fees) financial report and student activity fee proposed budget for the following year.

Section IV
The Student Government shall maintain the right to raise and spend money for the maintenance of the Student Government and the purposes set forth in the preamble, providing it has university approval.

Article VIII
Impeachment
Section I
Impeachment of an officer of the Student Government shall be constituted by three-fourths (3/4) majority vote of the Student Government. Impeachment from an office does not mean impeachment from the Student Government. Should the impeachment of the president be motioned, the vice-president shall chair the meeting. The impeached officer shall not hold any Student Government Executive Committee office within the current term.

Section II
Impeachment of a Student Representative shall be constituted by a three-fourths (3/4) majority vote of the Student Government. The impeached representatives shall not hold any Student Government office within the current term.

Section III
Any Student Government Representative, including officers, will be impeached, unless a letter of resignation is given, if they have three (3) unexcused absences within the current term of appointment.

Section IV

Committee chairpersons and committee members may lose office by a majority vote of the Student Government. Such action requires a replacement appointment.

Article IX
Meetings
Regular meetings of the Student Government shall be held weekly during fall and spring semesters and a least monthly during the summer session. The meetings shall be held a at such time and place as the Student Government shall designate within the first month of each semester. All regular meetings shall be open to all university students, advisors, administration, and faculty/staff. The president may at his/her discretion, call a special or closed meeting whenever he/she may deem it necessary. A quorum to conduct business shall be a simple majority of the Student Government representation. And all meetings will be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order except when in conflict with the Student Government Constitution.

Article X
Amendments
Amendments of this constitution shall be proposed by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Student Government at any regular meeting(s), or by a petition signed by fifteen (15) percent of the student enrollment. The proposal must be approved by proper university authorities (Dean of Students and/or Director of Student Activities) and passed by a student election set by the Student Government for that particular purpose.

Article XI
Initiative, Referendum and Recall
It shall be the duty of the Student Government to consider and vote upon any measure within their jurisdiction (excluding impeachment) which may be presented to them in a petition signed by ten (10) percent of the enrolled students. In the event such a petition has been submitted and there is no action in the area suggested by the petition within two regularly scheduled Student Government meetings (excluding cancellations), the matter must be submitted to a special election committee for a referendum vote of the student body. This election must be held within two (2) weeks of the submission to the election committee. If such measure shall be approved by the majority of the vote cast, it shall be deemed to have been enacted.

Article XII
Adoption
This revision of the constitution shall be submitted for ratification by a majority of the vote of the student body called for this purpose by the president of the current Student Government. Ratification shall be a majority of the votes cast.

By- Laws

1. Initiation of Campus Organizations - An organization seeking recognition by Purdue University North Central must fulfill the following criteria:

1. Approval of organizational constitution and projected budget by the Dean of students.

2. Submission of aforementioned constitution and projected budget for consideration by the Student Government

3. chartering of campus organization is dependent upon the judgment and approval of the Student Government.

2. No campus organization shall continue to be recognized by the university if it is found to be in violation of university regulation or student welfare as determined by a hearing of the Student Government established of this purpose. The organization in question must be informed of the specific nature of the purposed violation two (2) weeks in advance of the hearing date to provide the organization the time to justify their actions. An extension of the hearing date may be granted at the discretion of the Student Government.

3. Approved and chartered campus organizations may be eligible for a one-time start-up allocation not exceeding fifty dollars, providing the organization conforms to university regulations and Student Government policy.

4. The Student Government recognized that organizations are often established to further their own interests and further recognizes the right of these organizations to be chartered unless to be found in violation(s) of university policy and regulations. However, the Student Government shall not allocate money to any organization that denies membership, opportunity to seek office, or full participation in organization activities to any member of the activity fee paying student body. The only exception to the policy being that of a special allocation for an organization activity in which all members of the activity fee paying student body may participate.

5. A Student Government representative having three (3) absences from regularly scheduled meetings during an academic semester not excused by a majority vote of the Student Government, will automatically tender his/her resignation within one (1) week. Otherwise, he/she shall be subject to an impeachment proceeding.

6. The Fine Arts, Convocations, and Events Committee (F.A.C.E.) is a standing chartered committee of the Student Government and is therefore subject to Student Government regulation and the Student Government Constitution.

1. Executive Officers will be voted on by the Student Government, after receiving nominations from the F.A.C.E. President

Representatives:
Tom Albano
Christina Barden
Lyndsie Daikhi
Stephanie Kuziela
Holly Logan
Austre Medina
Nick Mucha
Aleah Turner
Carl Stambaugh
Jonathan Sichtermann

Advisor:
Gary Demski